things you can do when you turn 18

So, Kristina has been looking forward to yesterday’s birthday for some time. I have had mixed feelings about it.

I was a little worried when I realised that she would turn 18 at the beginning of her senior year of high school. Some time back I warned her that I did not want to hear, “I’m 18 and I can do what I want,” even once during her senior year.

And then warned her again.

Now that the day is here, I am no longer worried. She’s matured a lot in the last year or two, and we get along pretty well without me being a hardass. And she knows I’ll change the locks and report the car stolen if she gives me a rough time.

Not.

Really.

This year she’s in a hybrid program of high school and college courses, with a flexible schedule. She works, has a boyfriend, keeps up with friendships and clubs, and occasionally needs to be reminded to do her laundry. It’s as if she’s at college now – but without the risk of her roommate barfing on her shoes after a frat party.

Practically, her life is not really all that different from a week ago.

But in very real ways, her rights, privileges, and responsibilities have altered significantly. In the United States, she is an adult now.

Things You Can (Legally) Do On Your Own at 18 (in the US)

Vote

Open a checking account

Get an adult driver’s license (meaning you can drive at all hours)

Get a tattoo/piercing

Be drafted into the military

Enlist in the military

Serve on a jury

File a lawsuit

Be sued

Change your name

Buy spray paint

Work more hours

Pawn something

Get married

Get divorced

Adopt a child

Be on Jerry Springer

Go on a cruise

Buy a lottery ticket (*story below)

Get a hotel room

Get a Costco membership

Skydive or go bungee jumping

Sign legal documents/contracts

Gamble

Secure a loan

Finance a car

Buy insurance

Donate blood (see note in comments)

Earn credit (and check your credit score)

Buy porn (or other adult material)

Buy cigarettes (or other tobacco products)

Be convicted as an adult

Go to adult jail

Work in an alcohol-serving establishment

Apply for a business license

Apply for a credit card

Go to a strip club

Work in a strip club

Enter a contest

Write a check

Get utilities in your name

Lease an apartment or house

Buy a house

Cash a savings bond

Buy nitrous oxide

Rent a post office box

Start a 401K plan

This is probably not an exhaustive list, but I’m exhausted contemplating all these possibilities.

*promised story:

One of Kristina’s dearest friends shares her birthday. Yes – the same birthday, the same year, born within 30 minutes of each other.

Yesterday, they went to the 7-11 store near their school. Kristina asked to buy a scratch ticket. Naturally, the tired woman behind the counter asked for ID.

Kristina was more than pleased to oblige. Then repeat the process when K’s friend asked for her own scratch ticket.

On noting the same date on both state-issued driver’s licenses, the 7-11 lady cocked an eyebrow, and growled, “You have the same birthday?!?” clearly not believing it for a second.

Next stop: free beverages at Starbucks, where they had to face birthdate disbelief all over again.

And so worth it.

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Wonderful post!
i especially love the list of things you can do on your own at age 18 in the states. I thought that the one that says buy a house, said buy a horse and i was kinda stoked about that at first… :)

my next favourite is you can buy nitrous oxide at any age? you can just buy it? awesome. hopefully peeps are using it for their cars and not playing their own brain chemistry experiments, but either way I guess you are 18 now so you be the boss of your brain and your car.